This invention is in the field of motor vehicle accessories and is more particularly directed to a cushion pad mountable on the upper half of a steering wheel for permitting the user to rest head and arms on the cushion pad while the vehicle is parked to nap and/or rest.
Drivers of motor vehicles frequently become tired and fatigued and consequently find it necessary to attempt to become rejuvenated by napping or resting while the vehicle is parked such as in a rest stop. The foregoing problem is particularly acute for long distance truck drivers who, due to the lack of suitable space in the cab for assuming a prone position, find that the only way in which they can obtain any rest is to simply position their head and arms about the upper portion of the steering wheel in an effort to rejuvenate their senses by sleep or simply resting. Drivers of small bucket seat equipped sports cars and the like have essentially the same problem. Unfortunately, vehicle steering wheels are made of hard material and do not provide a comfortable pillow effect for the foregoing purposes; moreover, it sometimes occurs that a driver will fall fast asleep and slump or otherwise move into contact with the horn button of the wheel to result in a blowing of the horn to consequently wake the driver with a great shock. Moreover, such accidental blowing of the horn is a substantial annoyance to both the driver and others in the vicinity.
A variety of cushions and steering wheel covers have been proposed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,189,367; 4,102,377 and 4,165,125 and in British Pat. No. 27,322 (1904); however, the devices of these patents do not solve the foregoing problem.
Thus, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved means for permitting a vehicle driver to comfortably nap or rest while in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle.
Achievement of the foregoing object is enabled by the preferred embodiment of the invention which comprises a cushion pad member formed of foam rubber or the like having flat parallel upper and lower surfaces and having a cylindrical peripheral surface having an extent of approximately 180.degree. and connected at opposite ends by a linear diameter portion. The periphery of the cushion pad conforms to the upper half of the periphery of a steering wheel with which the device is to be used. A flexible cloth or plastic cover encloses the cushion pad member and a relatively inflexible stiffener panel formed of fiberboard or the like is positioned adjacent the lower face of the cushion pad inside the cover. A pocket panel on the lower side of the cover fits over the steering wheel to retain the attachment in position on the wheel for usage. The stiffener panel member has an outer periphery generally conforming with that of the cushion pad but is provided with a recess so that it does not contact the horn button of the steering wheel with which the device is used. The stiffener panel does not engage the horn button but resists deflection of the cushion pad into contact with the horn button to prevent depression of the button and consequent actuation of the vehicle horn when the user rests his upper body portion, arms and head over the attachment when it is in position on the steering wheel.
A better understanding of the nature and construction of the preferred embodiment will be achieved when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the appended drawings in which like reference numerals are applied to the same component parts when illustrated in different figures of the drawings.